Contemporary computing devices allow users to input information in a number of ways, including via a keyboard, by one or more types of pointing devices, and buttons (typically on portable devices). With respect to pointing devices, a computer system may receive user input from a mouse and/or a touchpad, and if configured with a digitizer, by sensing touch, e.g., entered via a stylus (pen) or a finger.
Some personal computers, such as tablet-based personal computers, have the digitizer built into the display screen. This is highly beneficial for many users, as such a computing device can be operated with or without a keyboard. At the same time, operating without a keyboard presents many users with a number of problems.
One type of user, referred to as a power user, presses keyboard modifier keys (Shift, Control, Alt, AltGr, Windows®) in conjunction with graphical user interface interaction to perform enhanced user interface operations. For example, holding down the control key while using the mouse to drag an item may result in a different action being taken by the operating system or an application program. For example, holding the control key while dragging an item makes a copy of the dragged item; holding the Alt key creates a shortcut for that item. Modifier keys thus vary the drag action (move here, copy, create shortcut, and so forth), and similarly change the behavior of other mouse-related actions such as a click.
However, modifier keys are not readily available to power users when using a pointing device and operating without a keyboard. Although at times a soft (onscreen) keyboard panel can be popped up to make a keyboard available, operating in this way is not always convenient for users. What is needed is another way to provide modifier key behavior, and/or change other computer operating modes, including at times when a keyboard is not readily available.